Reflection on Jn 16:2-3
“They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming
that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.”
These words are extremely topical in Ukraine today, and especially for all genuine Christians. Jesus did not address these words to the apostles only but to every one of us.
The time is coming… A little later, after saying these words, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed there. His face was wet with sweat which was running down like great drops of blood. He said to the apostles: “Are you still sleeping? The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.” His betrayer walked up to Him, kissed Him and said: “Greetings, Rabbi!” Jesus said to them who had come out against Him: “This is your hour, and the power of darkness.” (Lk 22:53) Then the enemies came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. (Mt 26:45f) The hour of darkness has come… This hour of darkness has come in Ukraine too… Each of you is a victim of this hour of darkness. The forces of darkness have not destroyed us physically but seek to destroy us spiritually because we bear witness to Christ and suffer persecution for His sake. Jesus confirms it: “If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you… Because I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you… If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours.” (Jn 15:18-20) Persecution for the sake of Christ is a sign of true discipleship. We should rejoice that we can suffer for Christ’s sake, but we avoid it. We need not desire suffering but we need to be prepared and when it comes, we should give thanks for it. Suffering for the sake of Christ purifies us, obtains new grace and light for us, and, moreover, we can perform a mission by suffering. Suffering can be physical or spiritual. We should unite our suffering with the suffering of Christ rather than suffer alone. During Lent, an example for us to follow is Jesus Himself who was innocent and endured suffering for the sake of each of us. He suffered the just punishment for our iniquities. From the moment at Gethsemane, when the hour of darkness came, the spirit of darkness was given power over Christ and condemned Him to death through the religious hierarchy, chief priests and scribes. However, His death was preceded by the Passion – scourging, crowning with thorns, the way of the cross, crucifixion, suffering on the cross, and finally death. During the Lenten period, let us fix our eyes on the cross of Christ. The Christians of all previous generations contemplated the passion of Christ, especially during Lent. We likewise can do so when contemplating the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary or even more when contemplating the seven words from the cross. It is recommended that especially women pensioners should abstain from watching TV in the Lenten period and devote their time to prayer instead. Some women contemplate all the seven words from the cross every day. This takes more than two hours. And then before the holy hour, starting at 7:30 p.m., they pray acc. Mk 11:23 and lift up a mountain over Ukraine. It is not enough to lift up the mountain of demons over all regions just once. You pray so one day but every day there rise new demonic forces. So the mountains of demons must be lifted up in the name of God again and again during Lent, thrown into the sea of hell and commanded in the name of Christ not to return any more! In this prayer, you must believe and not doubt in your heart about the almighty power of God. We can do nothing more than allow the power of God to work through His holy name. Next, it is necessary to pray for the spiritual resurrection of Ukraine from 8 to 9 p.m. acc. Ez 37. These are the most powerful weapons against the real enemy.
You can follow the Way of the Cross before an icon or crucifix in your homes too. You obtain partial indulgence for the Way of the Cross or the Rosary. Contemplating the seven words from the cross, you obtain plenary indulgence – it means that if you died after this contemplation, you would be in paradise on that very same day like the penitent criminal, without going to purgatory. This plenary indulgence is declared by the Synod of the UO GCC and applies to our faithful during Lent. Those who pray acc. Mk 11:23 (the prayer of faith) as well as acc. Ez 37 (the prayer for the spiritual resurrection of the Ukrainian nation) can likewise obtain plenary indulgence in the Lenten period.
Download: Reflection on Jn 16:2-3
